Welcome to "Dutch Lion" Sports! This is the home of unique stories about sports, music, books, movies, and pop culture as brought to you by the one and only "Dutch Lion"! If you live for the games, the "Lion's" heart beats for you.

Reid ‘Em & Weep (1.7)

Post navigation

As many of you know, I love fantasy sports. Less of you know that my favorite fantasy sport is college football. The Butkus League was conceived in 1999 by Derek, Simon, and myself. We kicked around the idea over email. If I remember right, I was at work at my second job out of college, the infamous H&S Media. I had just started there in early ’99 and to keep in touch with our college buddies, Derek, Simon, and I founded the League during that Summer. We needed a few more guys so I asked my friends Mike and Jeff. I think I invited them in the car during our trip to Appleton, WI. (Do you guys remember that?) Simon asked Leo and Derek asked Raj. They all joined so there were just seven of us trying out a new idea. Needless to say, it has been a giant success. From the very first pick in 1999 Drew Brees, to great picks like “Rocket Queen” Michael Crabtree, Tim Tebow, “Camzilla” Cam Newton, and Derrick Henry. For every Reggie Bush there’s a Joe McKnight. For every Amari Cooper there’s a Freddie Milons. For every Maurice Clarett there’s a Lydell Ross. From the Trophy we bought in 2001 to the current Trophy (which still has only the original 3 Champions names engraved. WHAT!) From the many different rules changes, the different eligible teams, the many people involved, the League remains the highest priority in our competitive lives. Many wonder why there is no money involved. It’s not about money. It’s about pride.

Purdue’s Drew Brees, clenches a rose in his teeth as he celebrates Purdue’s 43-14 victory over Indiana on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2000, in West Lafayette, Ind. The win earned Purdue an invitation to the Rose Bowl. (AP Photo/David Umberger) ORG XMIT: INDU105

So we just had our 18th Annual Butkus League Draft. Here’s how it all went down at Simon’s new place in Lincoln Park. By the way, I just gave my Phil Steele a serious workout. I might need to buy a new one after bending the pages insanely the last few days, along with the water damage sustained when I put my backpack down on a wet spot after that “Air & Water Show” drenching on Simon’s back porch. Anyway, here’s the Draft in all it’s glory with analysis and “Odds ‘N Ends” noted in red ink. All opinions are final! Just kidding. All opinions are fluid and don’t take them personally. For the record, we’re all allowed up to 14 keepers which makes this a super Dynasty league, so that’s why guys like Leonard Fournette and Seth Russell are not listed in the Draft below. And oh by the way, Phil, we need to buy you some drinks. I owe you going all the way back to Rudi Johnson in 2000.

2016 Butkus League Way-Too-Early Draft Analysis

Round 1

Note that we had 1 SR, 7 FR in the 1st Round!!!

1

Simon

Dakota Prukop/QB/Oregon/SR – Best pick of the 1st round.

2

Mike

Jalen Hurts/QB/Alabama/FR – Mike’s “Jump the Shark AKA I hit the wall from too much drinking Moment”. Worst pick of the 1st round, but then again…..look at all these FR. They might all be busts.

3

Reid

Jacob Eason/QB/Georgia/FR

4

Derek

Shane Buechele/QB/Texas/FR

5

Jeff

Jett Duffey/QB/Texas Tech/FR

6

Jeff (from Dave)

Zach Smith/QB/Baylor/FR

7

Brian

Shea Patterson/QB/Mississippi/FR

8

Mike (from Jon)

DeMario McCall/RB/Ohio St./FR

Round 2

3 JR, 2 FR, 2 RSFR, 1 SO

9

Simon

Mark Thompson/RB/Florida/JR

10

Mike

Austin Mack/WR/Ohio St./FR

11

Reid

Isaiah Ford/WR/Virginia Tech/JR – Best pick of the 2nd round. I almost took him at #3 overall.

John Franklin III/QB/Auburn/JR – Could be HUGE. At one time I considered him at #3 overall. Could be Best Pick of Round 7.

54

Dave

Rawleigh Williams/RB/Arkansas/SO – Could be best pick of Round 7.

55

Brian

O.J. Howard/TE/Alabama/SR

56

Jon

Tyler Vaughns/WR/USC/FR

Round 8

A really good round of picks! 4 SR!, 1 JR, 1 SO, 1 FR, 1 D

57

Simon

Barry Sanders/RB/Oklahoma St./SR

58

Mike

Tyler O’Connor/QB/Michigan St./SR

59

Reid

Ishmael Zamora/WR/Baylor/SO – My “Jump the Shark AKA I hit the wall from too much drinking Moment”. This dude beat his dog and faces discipline. Why did he rise up my Draft board? I guess I liked his aggressive “mean streak”.

60

Derek

Trevor Knight/QB/Texas A&M/SR

61

Jeff

Florida St. D

62

Dave

Jerod Evans/QB/Virginia Tech/JR

63

Brian

River Cracraft/WR/Washington St./SR

64

Jon

B.J. Emmons/RB/Alabama/FR

Round 9

Another good round. 4 SR, 3 JR, 1 FR

65

Simon

Matt Dayes/RB/N.C. State/SR

66

Mike

Michael Geiger/K/Michigan St./SR

67

Reid

Jamaal Williams/RB/BYU/SR – Nobody seems to like Seniors but this Mormon might put up 1000 yards in Big Sky country.

68

Derek

DeDe Westbrook/WR/Oklahoma/SR

69

Jeff

Aidan Schneider/K/Oregon/JR

70

Dave

Austin Allen/QB/Arkansas/JR

71

Brian

Devine Redding/RB/Indiana/JR

72

Jon

Austin Kendall/QB/Oklahoma/FR – Jon’s “Jump the Shark AKA I hit the wall from too much drinking Moment”. Remember that game show called “Sale of the Century”? Jon just picked the “Handcuff of the Century” with this FR QB from Oklahoma. Yeah, it’s good to have the “possible” next QB at OU but Baker Mayfield was just designated a JR if I’m not mistaken and he doesn’t fit the profile of a high NFL Draft pick at QB so this Austin Kendall kid MIGHT compete in 2018. This is reminiscent of Reid’s Blake Bell. “Hey, I don’t mind redshirting Bell a 3rd time. Next year he’s gonna be AWESOME!”

Round 10

1 SR, 2 JR, 3 SO

73

Simon

Dalton Schultz/TE/Stanford/SO

74

Reid

Evan Engram/TE/Mississippi/SR

75

Derek

Greg Huegel/K/Clemson/SO

76

Dave

Ian Sadler/WR/Texas Tech/JR

77

Brian

Sony Michel/RB/Georgia/JR – Could be huge if Chubby is still hurt. Of course, Sony “Playstation” is hurt too. “He’s got a forearm……daaaaa” – Coach Wannstedt

78

Jon

John Burt/WR/Texas/SO

Round 11

1 SR, 2 SO, 1 FR, 1 RSFR

79

Simon

Andy Phillips/K/Utah/SR – A run on kickers. These are all good kickers, well maybe not Pineiro. He’s never kicked in a game before.

80

Reid

Eddy Pineiro/K/Florida/RSFR – Why am I so pumped about this guy? Because he kicks 77 yard FG’s in practice on Youtube…..that’s why! The next “Honkie widda Negro Leg”? I guess he’s more a “Hispanic widda Negro Leg”.

81

Dave

Austin Seibert/K/Oklahoma/SO

82

Brian

Justin Yoon/K/Notre Dame/SO

83

Jon

Devin White/RB/LSU/FR

Round 12

2 SR, 1 SO

84

Dave

Leshun Daniels/RB/Iowa/SR – Wanted him in a trade for a 6th rounder a week before the Draft. Got him in 12th Round. #Value #Dontworrybehappy

85

Brian

Geno Lewis/WR/Oklahoma/SR

86

Jon

Chris Warren III/RB/Texas/SO – Great pick. Excellent use of a Handcuff. Potential difference maker at #86. What’s great about our League is that Chris Warren could literally turn out to be the greatest player drafted in 2016.

Round 13

2 JR

87

Dave

Simmie Cobbs/WR/Indiana/JR – Best pick of Round 13.

88

Jon

Robert Foster/WR/Alabama/JR – Worst pick of Round 13. Another “Jump the Shark AKA I hit the wall from too much drinking Moment” for Jon? Man, that’s a lot of drinking!

Round 14

1 JR, 1 SO

89

Dave

Jalan McClendon/QB/N.C. State/SO – Worst pick of Round 14.

90

Jon

Charles Nelson/WR/Oregon/JR – Best pick of Round 14. Mr. Irrelevant is a really good player.

Great Draft quotes:

Reid – “I’ve never won a Championship in 17 years but once I win……I’m really gonna start rolling!”

All of us – “I’ll take blah blah blah” while the rest of us respond “Who?”

Mike – “I haven’t won a Championship since I had kids.”

Derek – “Let me break some of your lightbulbs to distract my competitors.” (This was not said but it did really happen.)

So here go. We’re embarking on another year, another season, another chapter in the long history of the “Butkus League”. What will happen in 2016? Who will go down as Champ? Will Jeff’s strategy pay off down the line? Will Dave and Reid get off the “schneid”? The Draft is over. Now the fun begins.

Post navigation

Published by Dutch Lion

My real name is Reid but I go by the "Dutch Lion" because of my Dutch ancestry. Thanks for viewing my profile! I really appreciate all the "Likes" and "Follows". This is a sports blog, about anything and everything involving sports competition. However, I sometimes write about other topics including TV, movies, and music as well. Thanks for checking out the "Dutch Lion".
View all posts by Dutch Lion